The 68-team field for the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament is officially set, locking in the opening matchups ahead of the First Four. The tournament begins on March 17 in Dayton, Ohio, initiating the annual bracket-building window as oddsmakers and analysts evaluate the opening round pairings.
Action commences at UD Arena with the First Four, serving as the gateway to the primary bracket. Following the Dayton qualifiers on March 17 and 18, the first and second rounds are scheduled to spread across multiple host cities, including Buffalo, Portland, San Diego, and Philadelphia, from March 19 through March 22.
The surviving programs will ultimately converge on Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Final Four is scheduled for April 4, culminating in the National Championship game on April 6, which will be broadcast at 8:30 p.m. ET on TBS.
Early sportsbooks list Michigan and Duke as the initial national title favorites following Selection Sunday. Programs like Arkansas are also experiencing a steady rise in the odds as the sports world evaluates potential paths to the championship and projects first-round upsets.